The technical, formal and conceptual development of painting is at the core of the curriculum. The intensive two-year program combines the study of historic and contemporary painting methodologies with emphasis on exploration of critical theory allowing students to develop an individual artistic vision. The core studio sequence begins with direct, perceptually-based methods and progresses to advanced synthetic modes of pictorial construction.

The Painting Concentration immerses students in the variety of languages in which the human form is represented in oil. Direct painting addresses opaque perceptual description; indirect painting addresses mixing of color through layering; and second-year outcomes include integrating disparate sources and multiple figures into coherent compositions. Self-directed work is regularly critiqued by renowned visiting artists and faculty in the context of a diverse contemporary discourse.

Click here for the painting curriculum and course descriptions.

Painting Concentration Core Outcomes

• ability to use a variety of pictorial languages and methodologies
• understanding of direct painting application
• understanding of indirect painting application
• grasp of synthetic compositional and pictorial construction
• knowledge of historical and contemporary painting approaches